3d sweep path - how to

[Anonymous]

Hi All,
I need to draw a stupidly simple part, but requires a 3D path. I need to draw a metal rod, with 4 bends; 2 of which are at 90° to the other two..

I have no starting geometry, so I can't seem to use the 3D line, or 3D points.. I can't draw my first two segments, then change / create to a new work plane...

All help & tutorials seem to point towards starting geometry, and basing work planes off assemblies. I have none of these. I just need to draw a path of 7 lines; 3 of which are 90° to the remaining 4.. Think of a part of a shopping cart; how would you draw one of the wires / tubes used to make the frame or cage. As soon as you need to change to a perpendicular bend (Z axis) is what's getting me..

Does it have to be an assembly of three 2D sweeps?

[neil_AT_idess.co.uk]

If your new to 3D sketches Gavin Gardiner has a good podcast covering this at: http://mfgcommunity.autodesk.com/blogs/blog/view/6/Official_Autodesk_Inventor/

Neil

[jconklin]

One possible way is to:

1) Create an Excel spreadsheet with a list of the X,Y, and Z cooridantes for each of the seven points

2) Start a new iPart file

3) Create a 3D Sketch

4) Use the Import Points feature (as shown in the picture)

5) Constrain the points (using 'fixed' if necessary)

6) Draw line segments between the points

7) Add appropriate 3D bend radii

8) Finish 3D Sketch

9) Define work axis based off of the first line segment

10) Define work plane based off the work axis and first point

11) Create 2D sketch on new work plane

12) Draw Profile

13) Finish 2D Sketch

14) Sweep 2D profile along 3D path

- - - - -

Defining the work axis and work plane from your sketch geometry insures that your 2D sketch profile will always be perpendicular to your 3D path even if you have to move the 'construction' points later. Note that these 'construction' points are not associative with the original spreadsheet and, if you have to modify their location afterwards, it must be done from within Inventor.

HTH

[Anonymous]

Here's one technique:

Start a part as normal and create your first planar
sketch. Finish that. Create a workplane normal to the end of that path by
selecting the endpoint of the line then the line itself. Activate that workplane
as a sketch plane and Project the endpoint into that sketch, and create the rest
of that sketch. Repeat as necessary. Finish your sketches, start a new *3D
Sketch* and use the Include Geometry function to incorporate all your 2D
sketches into one 3D Sketch.

The workplane creation method I mentioned is also a
good technique for creating your Profile plane if one of the default origin
planes doesn't suffice.

--
Sam Hochberg
Inventor Certified Expert
Not too bad at
AutoCAD either
 
  

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<paul@rlscales.com> wrote in
message
href="news:6189391@discussion.autodesk.com">news:6189391@discussion.autodesk.com...

Hi
All, I need to draw a stupidly simple part, but requires a 3D path. I need to
draw a metal rod, with 4 bends; 2 of which are at 90° to the other two.. I
have no starting geometry, so I can't seem to use the 3D line, or 3D points..
I can't draw my first two segments, then change / create to a new work
plane... All help & tutorials seem to point towards starting geometry, and
basing work planes off assemblies. I have none of these. I just need to draw a
path of 7 lines; 3 of which are 90° to the remaining 4.. Think of a part of a
shopping cart; how would you draw one of the wires / tubes used to make the
frame or cage. As soon as you need to change to a perpendicular bend (Z axis)
is what's getting me.. Does it have to be an assembly of three 2D
sweeps?

[Anonymous]

Here's a partial Video on Precise Input in a 3D sketch. Hope
it helps:

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NHJRXW64rA">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NHJRXW64rA

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified
Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified
Expert.
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr. Tel. (260) 399-6615
AIP 2008 SP3,
AIP 2009-SP1 PcCillin AV
AMD 64 x2 3.0 Ghz, 8GB RAM GeForce 9800GT 512MB

XP Pro SP3, Windows XP Silver Theme

href="http://teknigroup.com">http://teknigroup.com